Ohio School Recognized for Excellence in Building Materials

PONTIAC, MICHIGAN - March 29, 2011 - Energy Shield, Inc., a small, family-owned company based in Pontiac, Michigan, won top honors for their work on a new, energy-efficient school in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance awarded Energy Shield a prestigious Crystal Sculpture award in the Commercial Wall category. The award recognizes the overall value and quality of the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation Energy Shield installed at the New Milkovich Middle School in Maple Heights, Ohio.

The New Milkovich Middle School was part of $109 million effort started in 2008 to improve all schools throughout the Maple Heights City School District. District administrators chose SPF for the middle school project as part of their sustainability initiative and to reduce annual facility operational costs. “Leaky” buildings are a primary cause of energy loss and a significant contributor to building failure. The Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) has determined that approximately $500 million is spent annually due to premature deterioration of buildings, and most of these expenditures result from a failure in the building enclosure’s air/vapor barrier system. SPF has been recognized by ABAA as the only material that will provide a seamless air/water vapor barrier and at the same time, completely insulate the building perimeter. 

Maple Heights Superintendent Charles Keenan, as quoted in the Garfield-Maple Sun, said the building of schools represented an "awesome opportunity" for Maple Heights City School District and a "victory for the children." 

The New Milkovich Middle School is a 2-story 130,000 square foot facility that will be LEED registered. Architecture firm Fanning Howey designed the building enclosure to meet stringent ABAA standards to eliminate uncontrolled air flowing in or out of the building. Energy Shield worked closely with construction manager Heery International and masonry subcontractor Crowe Masonry to install the SPF onto the entire 60,000 square feet of perimeter masonry walls. Once applied, the SPF formed a seamless insulated R-14 air barrier totally encapsulating the entire perimeter. ABAA conducted three separate field inspections of the SPF, with only days to spare before the exterior brick building surface was scheduled to be laid.

“This was a challenging project due to the schedule and the strict ABAA requirements,” Dave Fritzinger, President of Energy Shield said. “We were practically joined at the hip with Crowe Masonry, but by working so closely together, the school district got a finished product that will ultimately save them considerable money in operating costs. Plus, the indoor air quality of the new school will be much healthier for the students, teachers and staff.”

About Energy Shield, Inc.
Since 1978, Energy Shield, Inc. has been installing Spray Foam Insulation, Spray Foam Roofing, Roof Coatings and Spray Fiber Insulation in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Energy Shield’s commitment to quality Employees, Materials, Equipment and to its Customers has allowed the company to prosper in a highly competitive market. Energy Shield is a proud member of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance. Visit www.energyshield.net or call 1-800-968-9907 to learn more.

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